A Simple Favor

A Simple Favor by Darcy Bell

So first of all:

***Spoiler Alert***

So I watched the movie and didn’t like it-however I was intrigued by how Stephanie Smothers solved the mystery and how she was like this fluffy woman who solved this mystery and went on to solve others, a total contrasts.

Hmmm…?

So I decided to check out the book and I HATED IT! I found it to be so awful and it dragged on and on and on.

I wanted more info on the characters as I felt as there was a lot of background missing in the film, but the book…the book…it was just awful.

I’m so disappointed.

All these people are horrible…just horrible.

Bleh…

Stephanie is a stay at home mom and mommy blogger. She is a widow who’s brother and husband died in a car accident. She’s too perfect…so much so that a lot of people can’t stand her-too annoying-but one day her son Miles wants to play with his classmate Nicky and she becomes friends with Nicky’s mother Emily.

Emily Nelson works in the city as P.R. agent for a famous  fashion designer. She seems so cool Stephanie falls under her spell and often has the boys and they do things together.

One day Emily asks her to pick up Nicky as she is running late and have him stay the night, but Emily doesn’t come back.

Stephanie works hard trying to find Emily, but when they discover a body that matches her DNA, she comes to accept that Emily is gone.

She helps take care of Nicky and she and his father Sean Townsend grow extremely close and they fall for each other, moving in together.

Not a good idea…

But then Nicky says he sees his mom and she promised to come back, and a few other things start happening-and Stephanie starts to wonder if Emily is really dead. She starts investigating.

On the case!

Thoughts After Reading:

I hated this book!

Stephanie is annoying and all the stuff she shares on her blog-I’m surprised she hasn’t been murdered or her son kidnapped as she has no privacy. Her backstory of incest with her half brother because he is hot and looks just like her father- uber creepy and I don’t know why the author had to add that in or try to make their love “romantic”.

Then Sean is a major jerk who just jerks around poor Stephanie who really believes he loves her. What a loser!

And Emily is he worst of all. Kills her sister to “fake her death” and get the insurance money, plotted all this because she is tired of their life and wants “money” (they make a TON of money), and leaves her poor son.

I hated this, every page-ugh. And it felt like the author wanted to be like Gone Girl and copied it but threw in incest and other issues.

For more disappearances, go to The Strength of Their Attachment

For more mysteries, go to The Satapur Moonstone

Super Easy Naan Bread

I LOVE bread!

So on Tuesday we had the book The Satapur Moonstone, and I thought what better time than now to share this naan recipe with you all (If I can, I really try to have the mysteries and recipes match up).

This recipe comes from Food.com

Ingredients:

• 1.5 Cups of Warm Water
• 1 Package of Yeast
• 1 Tbsp of Sugar
• 1 Teaspoon of Salt
• 3 Cups of Flour

Directions:

1. Combine water, yeast, and sugar in a bowl.
2. Let stand for 5 mins until foamy.
3. Add salt and flour-mix together.
4. Knead about 20 times on a floured workspace, and the form into a ball.
5. Place in a well oiled bowl and cover with a towel. Let sit for 30-45 mins.
6. Turn dough out on floured cutting board, cut into 8 pieces and roll them out.
7. Grill on a grill, electric griddle, or on a comal
8. Grill until brown.

Thoughts after cooking:

These were super easy to make and absolutely delicious. I just kept eating them and eating them…

I know I will be making this a lot in the future.

Yum

For more Pinterest recipes, go to Lemon Tree Dwelling’s Minestrone Soup

For more recipes from Food.com, go to No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies

For more bread recipes, go to Saucy Spider with Hairy Leg Sticks

The Satapur Moonstone

The Satapur Moonstone (Perveen Mistry Mystery #2) by Sujata Massey

So I made a booboo. I read this book first, before The Widows of Malabar Hill.

So after I read it, I wrote this review and left it the same.

This book appealed to me as I love the art deco style, when I see that my eyes are just magnetized to it.

The story takes place in 1922. Perveen Mistry left a bad marriage and became a lawyer, the only women lawyer in India-yes, not only the only woman, the only Indian woman. It has been hard at times as women are not always treated well in the ’20s. There are a lot of barriers and people treating her as less, but Perveen will persevere.

However, being an Indian woman lawyer does have its advantages. She was just hired by the British government to travel to Satapur to mediate between the Dowager Maharani (grandma) and the Maharani (mother) of the current Maharajah (just a boy) about where their future leader should attend school. While the British government isn’t in control or ruling Satapur, they heavily “influence” it and as there is no adult male Maharajah, he is a “ward of the state” technically.

The women have been arguing what to do, but every time they send the civil servant out there, he is refused as the women are observing purdah. No unknown males can enter the palace, and the only one who can go is a woman lawyer.

After hearing the amount she is to be paid:

She agrees to the plan and moves forward. But her good feeling doesn’t last as Perveen starts to wonder if this was a bad idea when she has to ride a mail cart to the Circuit House and wait there with the single civil servant, a male civil servant, Colin while the palanquin that is set to take her to the Maharaja is gone. This goes against a lot of customs.

She enjoys staying with Colin, the civil servant, and he likes her too. They both have similar interests, enjoy each other’s company, etc. Colin however is a white Britisher and Perveen is a Parsi, a married Parsi.

The two talk about the Satupar situation and Perveen grows concerned about the Maharajah. His mother the Maharani is very upset and worried he might die. His father passed away last year from cholera and his older brother was killed and eaten by a tiger. However, the quick succession of deaths has Perveen worried-is it an accident or were they killed on purpose?

The Palanquin has to be fixed and Perveen is stuck at the house a bit longer-and Colin throws a dinner party. There she meets a crew of interesting people-Britisher Dr. Andrews, former dancer Mehta, her husband Yazad, and Roderick Ames who has English name and manners but is Indian.

She learns more gossip abut the palace-the current maharajah’s father was in love with a dancer that disappeared in the night (maybe also murdered) and that Mehta was a princess in the palace and almost married the prince before she left India for France. When Mehta hears that Perveen is to go to the palace she tells her she needs to bring a gift to all its royal occupants. After looking at what she wants to take, she declares none are worthy of the Dowager Maharani and Maharani, kindly giving her some items she can give to the Maharani’s, one being a giant moonstone.

She also finds out from Mehta, that the two Maharani’s cannot stand each other.

This is going to be hard.

Finally Perveen is able to head to the palace, getting soaked and almost not allowed in, but is after she gives them the moonstone. The Dowager Maharani claims it was hers originally and stolen by some dancer and she tries to get Perveen to tell her how she got it, but doesn’t believe it came from Paris (what Mehta told her).

Hmm…

In the palace Perveen finds a bad situation. The two Maharanis are always fighting, constantly at odds. Maharani (the mother) is anxious that someone is trying to kill her son. She has been doing everything she can think of to protect him, but wants him out of the palace. The Maharajah’s uncle, Prince Swaroop, is very antagonistic and was with the late Maharajah when he was killed. Could he be trying to get rid of the heir to take it himself?

Perveen knows not who to trust and she almost is poisoned herself! The longer she stays the more she is certain of things: 1) the deaths were not an accident, 2) Perveen needs to get out of there as her life is in danger, and 3) someone is going to try to kill the Maharajah.

Perveen presents her case for schooling and also tries to get them to let her take the Maharajah with her, to protect him, but is refused. As it is clear that they are growing to dislike her, Perveen decides it is best to leave before she is thrown in jail.

She goes to Colin and shares what had happened at the palace and her fears. She isn’t there too long when Prince Swaroop comes accusing her of kidnapping as the prince is missing. Perveen gets on the case as she knows she needs to find him ASAP or else it’ll be too late.

Thoughts After Reading:

This was really good.

I liked that it was historical fiction and I liked how she explained the complexity of religion, class, and the history of India.

Interesting…

It was a great mystery as it captured my attention and I wanted to continue to read it. I figured out part of the book but the end had a twist that eluded me.

I loved it and am planning on reading the first book as soon as I can. (Which I already did.)

For more Perveen Mistry Mysteries, go to The Widows of Malabar Hill

For more Historical Fiction, go to And Only to Deceive

For more lawyer mysteries, go to My Husband’s Wife

 

Lemon Tree Dwelling’s Minestrone Soup

Quarentined due to COVID-19? Now is the perfect time to make soup! This soup is from Lemon Tree Dwelling‘s Tortellini Minestrone Soup, but I made a few alterations.

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 Medium Sweet Onion, Diced
• 2 Medium Carrots, Sliced Thin
• 2 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
• 1/2 Tsp of Salt
• 1/8 Tsp of Black Pepper
• 1/8 Tsp of Red Pepper Flakes
• 6 Cups of Chicken Broth
• 1 Can of Kidney Beans
• 1-15 oz Can of Diced Tomatoes
• 1 Package of Pasta Noodles
• 1/4 Cup of Parmesan Cheese
• 1.5 Cups of Spinach

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Add onion, carrots, garlic, 1/4 cup of salt, black pepper, and red pepper.
3. Sauté, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened (about 7 mins).
4. Pour in chicken broth, tomatoes, and 1/4 tsp of salt.
5. Bring to a boil. Add kidney beans and noodles.
6. Reduce heat and cook until pasta is tender.
7. Stir in cheese and spinach, allow the leaves to wilt.
8. Ladle into bowls and serve.

Thoughts After Cooking:

It was extremely delicious, and I hope it makes you all stuck at home feel a little better.

For more soup recipes, go to Slow Cooker Easy Lentil Soup

For more Pinterst recipes, go to Irish Potato Pie

In the Woods

Borrowed from my sister blog JaneAustenRunsMyLife

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!

So every 17th I try to make an Irish recipe in honor of the day. Usually I make some Irish Soda Bread and something else to go with it. But this year the holiday falls on a Tuesday and I have an Irish mystery to post:

In the Woods (Dublin Murder Squad #1) by Tana French

This book came out twelve years ago and it is funny but I remember exactly when it came out because the title makes me think of Into the Woods and I just love the cover.

So I had tried to read it before, but every time something got in the way and I had to return the book. I finally got a chance to read it, and actually wished I hadn’t. Why? You’ll see.

In 1984 Ireland, three kids went in the woods to have a picnic. 12-year olds Peter, Jamie, and Adam spend all their free time in the woods-no one knows that area better than them. Jamie is very upset that day as it was her last before being sent away to boarding school so her single mother could go back to school.

That’s not what I wrote!

They three are furious to be separated and run off into the woods. When they don’t come back at tea time, Jamie’s mother starts to get upset but just thinks the kids are protesting again. When they don’t come back at suppertime, the parents are extremely worried and a search party is taken up. All they find is Adam Roy, no trace of the other children anywhere.

Adam is in shock, up a tree, and his shoes and socks soaked in blood not his own. Apparently, the socks were soaked in the blood and the blood bled through to the shoes. Search parties continued, the police detectives were called in, but no hide or hair was ever found of the other children.

Adam and his family moved away, the parents sending him to boarding school in England. Adam changes his name from Adam to his middle name, Rob, and destroys all evidence that “Adam” existed.

He’s gone.

He went on to become a police detective, getting on the murder squad like he always wished. A woman, Cassie Maddox, gets transferred on to murder squad and none of the guys trust her or like her. Rob thinks about getting it on with Cassie, but after she completely roasts him the two become best friends and partners.

One day they are wasting time when a case comes up and Cassie grabs it. The two get sent to the crime scene of a murdered child in the woods of Knocknaree, the very place that Adam’s friends disappeared.

They get to the Woods and talk to those that found the 12-year old. An archeological dig is going on before the area is destroyed for a new freeway. The girl was discovered on an old Druid ceremonial rock. She was hit in the head twice, asphyxiated by a plastic bag over the head, and raped post-mortem with a wooden handle.

Everything about it seems off. Why showcase the dead body instead of burying it or throwing it in the river? Why was it planned to bring a rock to hit her, but her being barely knocked on the head having to finish her off with asphyxiation?

Things get stranger when they look at the family. The girl turns out to be Katy Devlin, daughter of Jonathan Devlin–the same Jonathan that Rob remembers from his childhood. He was a bad guy-smoking cigarettes, doing nothing, raping a woman. This colors Rib’s view of him as he immediately dislikes him.

Bleh…

The family is odd though. Jonathan loved and idolized his daughter Katy and is heartbroken that she is dead, his favorite daughter.

Hmm…

Margaret Devlin, the wife, is really out of it, it seems as if she is on drugs. Aunt Vera, her sister, acts like the creepy grandma in Flowers in the Attic, skulking around.

This is not good

The other two daughters are strange as well. Katy’s twin Jessica is so out of it-doesn’t talk, hardly moves, just stares blankly into space…

Rosalind the eldest, seems upset, but also like she isn’t really that upset. She’s dramatic, treats Rob like a lover and is just odd. Like she is pretending to be older than her years.

The archeologists are just as strange. The absent-minded archeologist leader is scatter-brained, out of touch, and doesn’t know which way is up-but manages to put on a well oiled plan of excavation.

Mark, one of the other archeologists-angry, sharp, mean, an atheist, and yet performs druid libations on the stones.

Hmm…

Damian, another archeologist, and a quiet little boy who could be knocked over by a leaf.

Hmm…

Then there are the people who are pushing the freeway, they threatened the Devlins as Jonathan is the leader of the freeway protest.

Hmm…

And of course, her body was found on a Druid sacrificial stone-so is it cult related?

Roy, Cassie, and Detective Sam O’Neil are searching for the truth but find it opening up all kinds of wounds and secrets. Not only is the murder of a child extremely hard, but Sam loses his innocence as he discovers the people he trusted were not on the straight and narrow as he thought; Cassie has to deal with the domestic abuse and manipulations she faced on the past and things in the present are bringing up flashbacks; and Rob-well he has gone back to the place he never wanted to again-Knocknaree.

Will they discover the truth or will it stay unsolved as Jamie and Peter’s murder was?

Hmm…

Thoughts After Reading:

So I didn’t like this book. Adam/Rob is our narrator and admits in the beginning of the book that he is liar so it is hard to trust him. He reminds me a lot of Holden in Catcher in the Rye, so annoying.

Seriously!

It reminded me a bit of Moby-Dick, the summary is more interesting than the actual novel as the main character is annoying and constantly waxing on about his philosophy or random thoughts. It is even more annoying as he is a detective that does very little detecting.

It is like really dude? Get to work!

He is such a man child as he describes the best two years of his life was when he was living in a room doing nothing while Charlie was going to university and Charlie was disgusted with his lifestyle and the mess of a house? Plus he complains he has to rent a room from Heather (who mothers him in a lot of ways) as there is no place for him to afford and he is saving to move out when Cassie has her own apartment and moved there after him and presumably makes the same amount of money.

So annoying!

He’s also a complete narcissist, only caring about himself. He hates visiting his parents and seeing them, only cares about how they relate to him, thinks everything has to do with him, everyone is talking about him, etc.

We all know how they think highly of themselves, and only themselves, but Rob also exhibits this:

• Become impatient or angry when they don’t receive special treatment
• Have significant interpersonal problems and easily feel slighted
• React with rage or contempt and try to belittle the other person to make themselves appear superior
• Have difficulty regulating emotions and behavior
• Experience major problems dealing with stress and adapting to change
• Feel depressed and moody because they fall short of perfection
• Have secret feelings of insecurity, shame, vulnerability and humiliation

This guy!

Plus I hated the ending. The death of Katy had a great twist bit but they never tell you what happened to Jamie and Peter. Ugh, so infuriating!!!

Let me know!!!

For more mysteries with child disappearances, go to The Key to Midnight

For more Saint Patrick’s Day recipes, go to Irish Potato Pie

For more mysteries, go to The Thumb Mark of St. Peter

Irish Potato Pie

It is Pi[e] Day!

But not only that, with Saint Patrick’s Day being on Tuesday, I thought what better pie to make then an Irish pie.

I searched throughout Pinterest, and found this recipe which comes from A Spicy Perspective.

Ingredients:

• 1 Sheet of Frozen Puff Pastry Thawed or Pie Crust
• 4 Tablespoons of Butter
• 7 Slices of Bacon, Chopped (I omitted this)
• 5 Potatoes-Peeled and Sliced Thin (I used only three)
• 1 Onion, Peeled and Sliced
• 1 Tablespoon of Fresh Dill
• 1/2 Cup of Heavy Cream
• Salt
• Pepper
• Chives

Directions:

1. Preheat the Oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place the thawed puff pastry or pie crust in a 8-9 in pan and crimp the edges.
3. Remove the excess dough and piece it along the rim if needed to make the rim in some places.
4. Refrigerate until it is ready to fill.
5. Place butter and bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sauté until bacon is crispy and toss in the onions.
6. Follow with potatoes and dill.
7. Season with 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp of pepper.
8. Gently stir 3-5 mins.
9. Spoon mixture into crust and drizzle with heavy cream.
10. Bake on low rack for 35-45 mins-or until the potatoes are fork-tender and crust golden.
11. Rest for 10 mins and then sprinkle with fresh chives.

Thoughts After Baking:

I omitted the bacon as I don’t like the way that bacon grease smells after cooking. Then after last year’s potato dish didn’t cook all the way through, I decided to use less potatoes this year. And I added all the chives as I didn’t want them to go bad.

This turned out really delicious, although it was missing one thing: cheese! I added a bit later and this made a great slice of pie-a slice that I will be eating on Saint Patrick’s Day too!

For more Pi[e] Day recipes, go to Creamy Sour Cream Lemon Pie

For more pie recipes, go to Hillshire Farm Crustless Quiche

For more Saint Patrick’s Day recipes, go to Easy Northumberland Pan Haggerty

For more potato recipes, go to Baked Garlic Parmesan Fries

For more Pinterest recipes, go to Heart Shaped Pizza with Homemade Pizza Dough

For more holiday recipes, go to Dao’s Egg Rolls

The Thumb Mark of St. Peter

So I have been reviewing short stories from The Tuesday Club Murders AKA The Thirteen Problems.

I typically review short stories on Sundays, but decided as these are the Tuesday Club Murders, I’ll be posting on Tuesday!

“The Thumb Mark of St. Peter” from The Tuesday Club Murder by Agatha Christie

Plot Synopsis:

So Miss Marple is an elderly woman who has lived in her village St. Mary Mead all her life. But even though she grew up in a small town, she has the observational skills of a hawk.

So one night there is a gathering at Miss Marple’s home: Miss Marple; Raymond West, Miss Marple’s nephew and a writer; Joyce Lempriére, an artist; Sir Henry Clithering, former commissioner of Scotland Yard; Dr. Pender, the elderly clergyman of the parish; and Mr. Petherick, solicitor.

They are enjoying themselves, when Raymond starts talking about unsolved mysteries.

Joyce decides they should start a club and meet every Tuesday and present a mystery. One they know they answer to and call it: The Tuesday Night Club. 

On the case!

Our sixth mystery is from Miss Marple herself, so you know it is going to be really good.

I’m so excited!

About ten or fifteen years ago, her young niece Mabel-a very silly girl-at age 22 married a cruel and horrid man, Mr. Denman.

She asked Miss Marple to stay with them a few times, but Miss Marple hardly ever saw Mabel after the wedding.

Hmmm…

Ten years go by and Mr. Denman died suddenly. There were no children, so Mabel inherited all the money. Mabel sent her a sensible letter regarding the death, which didn’t surprise Miss Marple as the marriage was not a good one.

Three months later, however, Miss Marple receives a distraught letter, begging her to come right away. So she dos.

When she arrives she sees old Mr. Denman, who was physically fit (although his eyes were failing) and he is “not quite right in the head” and not upset about his son’s death. Mabel on the other hand is a mass of nerves.

No one will see or speak to her, all ignore her, because they think she murdered her husband.

Now Miss Marple knows her niece, so she knows that cannot be true at all…but the cards are stacked against her:

1. Mabel and Mr. Denham fought a LOT, and even had an argument the morning he passed.
2. Mabel purchased arsenic that morning, she said she wanted to kill herself but changed her mind.
3. The cook made mushrooms that night, and thought a few were peculiar, could a few bad ones have been snuck in? Who better to kill him than his wife?
4. When Mr. Denham was sick and gasping for his last breath, Mabel left him and went to her room.

Miss Marple asks if he said anything before he died and Mabel said the help said he said something about a heap of fish or pile of something.

Miss Marple decides the only thing to do to answer the questions of murder is to do an autopsy. So they do and the reveal is…there was no trace of arsenic but also no known reason why he died? Who or what killed him? Did he kill himself? What is the answer?

Thoughts after Reading:

This was a great mystery, and a hard one-I could not figure it out. This is on par with the hundreds and thousands one.  (Solution below). Still:

For more Agatha Christie, go to Motive v. Opportunity

For more from The Tuesday Club Murders, go to The Blood Stained Pavement

For more Miss Marple, go to Ingots of Gold

For more short stories, go to Cat Crimes

I found this online when I was looking around, crazy right!

Waffle Iron Cinnamon Apples

Thoughts Before Cooking:

I received a waffle maker as a gift, and after making a ton of waffles-I was interested in what else could be made in a waffle maker. This recipe comes from My Fussy Eater

Ingredients:

• 2 Apples
• Coconut Sugar or Brown Sugar
• Cinnamon
• Greek Yogurt (Optional)
• Berries (Optional)

Directions:

1. Heat the waffle iron and grease lightly with some spray oil.
2. Cut the apples into 1/2 cm slices and sprinkle them with sugar and cinnamon.
3. Place the apple slices in the waffle iron for approximately 2 mins.
4. Serve immediately with Greek yogurt and berries.

Thoughts After Reading:

This was the worst decision of my life.

The cinnamon and the sugar stuck to my waffle maker and it is taking me forever to clean it.

I would not make these again.

For more apple recipes, go to Simple Charoset

For more things to make in your waffle maker, go to Scrambled Eggs in a Waffle Maker

Cat Crimes

Cat Crimes: Masters of Mystery Present a Collection of New Cat Tales edited by Martin H. Greenberg & Ed Gorman

Thoughts Before Reading:

What goes great with mysteries? CATS! They are perfect together (and two of my favorite things in the world.)

So when I saw this, I was super excited and couldn’t wait to read it.

Thoughts After Reading:

This book was not good.

It is amazing how it failed with the amount of writers it had: Martin H. Greenberg, Peter Lovesey, Bill Pronzini, Joan Hess, Jon L. Breen, Dorothy B. Hughes, Barbara Paul, William J. Reynolds, Christopher Fahy, Bill Crider, David Everson, Douglas Borton, Les Roberts, John Lutz, Gene DeWeese, Barbara D’Amato, Barbara Collins, and J.A. Lance. You think one of them would have written an interesting mystery.

The mysteries were not even about cats!

It kind of felt like the authors took an extra story they had lying around and added a cat into it so there was a cat in the story but save for a few stories it never felt like the cat or cats were really an important part or a central figure. I did not enjoy it.

I’m so disappointed.

For more cat mysteries, go to Catnap

For more short stories, go to Motive v. Opportunity